Page 74 of Soulless Rivalry

I hated the disappointment that settled in my gut at the sight of her because I loved hanging out with her, but she wasn’t who my heart wished to see at that moment.

“Hey babes,” she chirped, coming inside and going straight to my dresser, rummaging through the clothes. When she didn’t find what she was looking for, she moved onto the closet.

I chuckled at her boldness. “Oh, yes please, make a mess of my carefully put away clothes.”

Folding my arms over my chest, I leaned against the wall, observing her.

She looked happy tonight, very different from how she’d been ever since Dominik’s engagement was made public.

“I have a date tonight.” She grinned at me before turning back to my closet and finally finding what she had been looking for. “Bingo!”

Mia grabbed my red dress, the one Sinem gifted me, holding it in front of herself. “Please, can I borrow this?”

I shrugged, sitting back down at my desk. “A date with who?”

“Oh, Elyssa, you won’t believe it!”

She plopped down on my bed and the sparkling look in her eyes made my stomach churn. Not because I wasn’t happy that she was but because she only got that look when it came to one person.

“Dominik finally texted me back! He’s back early because he had an assignment to submit and he wants to meet up by the mill!”

I tensed, alarms going off in my brain. I didn’t want to rain on her parade or make her mad, but I knew I needed it to talk some sense into her.

“He’s engaged, Mia,” I explained calmly, but the smile slipped off her face anyway.

“So what?”

My eyes widened. “So what?” I asked incredulously. “So you don’t want to be the other woman. You shouldn’t be anyone’s sidepiece.”

“I won’t be. Not forever. His marriage is in name only, anyways, he said it himself.” She shook her phone in my face. “He is the love of my life, and he’s finally seeing it too!”

I was at a loss for words for a moment. Mia looked downright… delusional right then. I briefly wondered if she’d started taking drugs again. The more I thought about it, the clearer it became.

“Mia, you cannot be serious right now.”

My cousin’s shoulders slumped and she glared at me, clearly upset.

“I thought you’d be happy for me. Clearly, I was wrong.”

I jumped to my feet. “You’re being unfair! Mia, how do you want me to be happy for you when he’s only using you!”

“So what! Even if it’s only sex for now, he’ll end up seeing me and falling too, I know it! I just do.”

“Stop it!” I screamed. “You’re being delusional right now. Open your fucking eyes, you’re only gonna get hurt! He’s not gonna fall for you, the man didn’t even know who you were until two weeks ago! He’s using you and he’ll break your heart. Are you taking drugs again, is that why—” My words were cut off by the sound of her hand violently connecting with my cheek, shocking me into silence.

My head swung to the side with the force of her blow and I stared at the door for a few seconds, in shock.

By the time I looked back at her, Mia’s mouth hung open and she mirrored my shocked expression, only tears had welled in her eyes when fury flickered through mine.

“Lyssa I am so sor?—”

“Get. Out.” I spat.

“Please, I didn’t mean to?—”

“Get out! Get out, get out,get out! I never want to see you again!” I screeched, my heart hurting even more than my throbbing cheek.

Mia bit back a sob, tears streaming down her face, before running out of my room, the door slamming after her.

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